Special constables rolled up their sleeves and packed groceries for shoppers in a fundraiser for the Evening Telegraph/Mercia FM Snowball Appeal.

Shoppers at Sainsbury's, in Trinity Street, Coventry city centre, even got crime prevention tips with their goods.

PC Tony Moore, Special Constable liaison officer for Little Park Street, said the help had been well received by shoppers, who each donated some small change for the service.

They managed to raise &#xA3;200 altogether.

He added: "It was nice to do something for a local charity while at the same time raising the profile of Special Constables in the city. We are always on the lookout for new recruits. We had nine sworn in in July and another 28 in the pipeline, but that is a far cry from years ago, when we had 300 on our books."